Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - guide to the meaning of words used in the activities and descriptors

Whether you can get Personal Independence Payment (PIP) depends on an assessment of your ability to carry out certain daily living activities and mobility activities. This is measured against a list of descriptors, which describe varying levels of ability under each activity. The activities and the descriptors are known as the assessment criteria and are set out in regulations.

The regulations also provide definitions for the words used in the assessment criteria. When you're assessed, the assessor must use the meaning of words as they are defined in the regulations. These meanings are set out in the following table.

Words used in the PIP activities and descriptors

Meaning

aided

with:

(a) the use of an aid or appliance, or

(b) supervision, prompting or assistance

aid or appliance

(a) any device which improves, provides or replaces your impaired physical or mental function, and